


I've Fallen and You Better Help Me Up

by collarsandplaid



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: David has a Big Heart, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Gratuitous Swearing, Hurt/Comfort, Max is a brat, Minor Injuries, Mother's Intuition, NOT MAXVID, Save the Angry Kitten, Why is There a Hole Here?, but a good kid, dadvid, go team!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-20 10:26:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14258973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/collarsandplaid/pseuds/collarsandplaid
Summary: David’s mouth was dry and his chest was tight when he slowly asked, “Neil, where are Max and Nikki?”If the boy’s face could fall any further, it did so now, and David’s heart plummeted.“H-he fell.”(Leave it to the three most troublesome kids to find the one random pit in all the forest and fall into it.)





	I've Fallen and You Better Help Me Up

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a while. Nearly half a year since my last post in the Camp Camp fandom. Man... But, as I was going through some of my old writings, I found this uncompleted little story and decided to put it where it belongs.
> 
> Originally, this was meant to be a chapter in my "Sing, Play, Tell Me It's Going to be Okay" story. However, when I noticed that I had written 15 pages and had yet to mention a guitar or ukulele, I scrapped this idea in favor of the porcupine scenario. It's technically not finished (and it's probably never going to be) but I suppose this chapter can stand on its own, so I figured it could join the rest of the fandom collection.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Gwen had once called it “mother’s intuition.” Nikki had declared it to be sorcery, until Nerris grabbed a hold of her and sprouted a long, intricate explanation about what true sorcery was. Space Kid had excitedly termed it “spidey senses” and started shooting invisible webs at the other campers, until Nurf bodily threw him into an actual spider’s web. Ever scientific, Neil claimed it was simply instincts strengthened by frequent use. Harrison had, of course, retorted that it resembled more of a sixth sense.

Whatever it was, David only felt it seconds before the hypothetical shit hit the proverbial fan. He would already be up and running even before the screaming could start or the fires grew too large. He was getting better at it too. Working at Camp Cambell this summer was really forcing his ability to evolve.

So when he felt the familiar tingle creep down his spine, the cold sweat at the back of his neck, the chill behind his knees, and the pressure in his head that coerced him to stop and turn around, David knew something had gone wrong.

He instantly scanned the surrounding trees and reflexively counted the heads of his campers as the group tromped back into camp after their morning hike.

“Where’s Max?”

Gwen paused and glanced back at her co-counselor. David’s eyes flittered through their group a second time.

“And Nikki. And Neil.”

Gwen groaned aloud and dragged a tired hand down her face. Of course. It was always those three: the unholy trinity. Always running off, causing disturbances, and being the literal definition of _trouble._

“They must have slipped away on our way back,” she replied, waving her hand dismissively in the air. “Just let the little shits be. They’ll come back on their own when they get hungry.”

But David was looking back into the trees with that _look_. His eyes were wide, brows furrowed in concentration, searching, body tensed like a coiled spring ready to lunge into action.

“David, I swear if you leave me with these fuckers and go gallivanting off into the woods by yourself…”

She didn’t need to finish her threat. The insidious pause was ominous enough.

David hesitated, pulling back. He really didn’t know what he’d do if he simply bolted. Something didn’t feel right but he didn’t know the cause and he certainly didn’t know where he’d go if he started wandering. Chances were, he’d get further away from wherever Max, Neil, and Nikki had escaped to. And his searching would only leave Gwen alone at the mercy of disgruntled campers.

He couldn’t do that. But he also couldn’t leave three kids by themselves in the forest. That would just be irresponsible on his part as a camp counselor.

“I’ll be quick,” David pressed, turning a pleading look to Gwen. “I’ll just go back the way we came and see if they’re near the trail.”

Gwen was looking at him with that _look_. Her eyes were burning, brows furrowed in fury, seething, hands clenched and ready to punch something.

“The Quartermaster can help you,” David squeaked.

Curious as to what was making their counselors take so long, the campers shuffled back towards the adults just as Gwen lifted one finger, mouth open in preparation to say something that likely shouldn’t be heard by any minor. Before she could utter a single word, however, Neil burst out of the bushes, breathing hard.

“Neil!” David exclaimed, partly pleased to see the boy safe and sound; partly relieved a distraction had saved him from Gwen’s wrath. “Where did you disappear to? Where are Max and Nikki?”

The scrawny (and frankly, worryingly sedentary) boy doubled over, hands on his knees as he wheezed and struggled to catch his breath.

Instantly concerned, David dropped to one knee in front of the boy and took his shoulder. “Neil, are you alright? What’s wrong?”

Neil lifted his head and David was taken aback by the sight of a face reddened from running and fevered blue eyes blown wide with panic.

“T-there was--” Neil huffed, tongue flicking over dried lips; voice hoarse, “there was a… h-hole. We-we didn’t… s-see it.”

Neil groaned and gripped his side. David had both hands on the boy’s shoulders, practically keeping him upright as Neil’s legs shook from his bought of frantic running. Gwen hovered over them both, the anger extinguished in her eyes. The other campers had crowded closer, murmuring to each other about holes in the forest.

David’s mouth was dry and his chest was tight when he slowly asked, “Neil, where are Max and Nikki?”

If the boy’s face could fall any further, it did so now, and David’s heart plummeted.

“H-he fell.”

David couldn’t stop his fingertips from digging into the boy’s shoulders. “Where?”

Neil lifted a trembling hand and pointed back towards the trees. David was already up and running.

“David!” Gwen called after him, easing Neil down now that the boy had lost his support. But the tall man was gone, not even a rustle of a leaf to show where he had disappeared.

\---

He barely noticed the bushes he dashed through; barely noticed the roots and rocks that snatched at his feet in an attempt to slow him down, to make him trip. He barely felt the whip of leaves slapping against his face; barely felt the scratches of branches that clawed at his exposed arms and pulled at his clothes. He hardly cared about the burn of his legs as he forced himself to run faster, faster; hardly cared about the way the fresh forest air tore down his throat as he forced himself to breathe, breathe.

He fell. That’s all he knew. He fell. Max fell.

He kept his path straight in the direction Neil had pointed, not caring if a bush or boulder tried to bar his path. His long legs easily cleared the obstacles. Trees were dodged around and scattering squirrels were ignored.

“MAX!”

Faster, faster. He fell. Max fell. He needed to go faster.

A grouping of small saplings stood tall and proud in front of him. Gritting his teeth; arms up to shield his face, David lunged through them; young branches snapping as he collided with them, the thin trunks shaking in distress, budding green leaves flying off.

He landed on his feet, clothes much more rumpled and torn than they had been a few minutes ago, bubbles of blood already drying along shallow slices in his flesh. Leaves stuck at odd angles in his hair and fluttered out as he took off running again.

At least, he tried to.

Before he had even taken two long, striding steps, he saw a green and red blur out of the corner of his eye and suddenly a small, bundled form came flying at him and hit him right in the ribs, hard. David yelped as he careened to the side, his footing lost, and suddenly he was falling. He landed heavily on his back, the breath knocked out of him, and skidded along the dirt, leaving a rut in the earth and a cloud of dust clinging to his body.

He groaned, a hand going to hold his aching head. A pressure jumped on his chest, effectively driving his first decent breath back out from his mouth in a ragged gasp. Claws dug into the bandana around his throat and a snap of teeth glinted dangerous and white in front of his eyes.

If David had the ability (or even the air to breath) to scream, he would have. As he was, all he could do was fling his hands up to protect his face from his attacker.

“David?”

David peeked out from between his fingers to see that the fangs had been replaced with the familiar face of his green-haired camper.

“Nikki?!”

Nikki leaned back to plop down comfortably onto David’s chest, earning another pained groan from the older man. She grinned eagerly down at him, dirt smudged on her cheeks, mud caked on her hands.

“David!”

“Nikki! What going on up there?” an all-too-familiar voice called from a little ways away.

David jerked his head up and jackknifed into a sitting position. Nikki giggled as she tumbled off his chest.

“Max?!”

“David?”

“Nikki!” Nikki cheered, fists pumping excitedly in the air.

David scrambled to his feet and hurried over to where Max’s voice originated. He abruptly stopped short and flailed comically for a moment at the edge of a wide, deep hole. Nikki yanked on the back of his belt and David crashed back to the earth. He glanced around briefly, noting with a heavy swallow that, if not for Nikki crashing into his ribs earlier, he would have likely sprinted right into the hole.

It camouflaged neatly with the forest floor, tucked into the small clearing of trees. Any animal not paying attention could have cleared the line of trees only to fall straight down into the hole. No, his mind told him, not just a hole – a hunter’s trapping pit.

“Max?” David asked cautiously as he leaned over the hole and peered down the dirt walls to the muddy bottom.

If not for the afternoon sun filtering through the tall trees that surrounded the hole, David would not have been able to distinguish the black-haired, dark-skinned boy huddled at the bottom of the pit. Luckily, the dappled sunlight illuminated patches of the boy’s blue hoodie and made intense aqua eyes practically glow.

“David?” Max asked just as carefully, as if he wasn’t sure if the man staring down at him was real.

David felt his chest ache with more than just the bruising Nikki had likely procured. Max was staring up at him with impossibly wide eyes. Impossibly young. Impossibly scared.

“Oh, Max.”

The boy was sitting against the dirt wall, clothes and face stained with mud. David could dimly make out scratch marks and dents along the wall where Max had tried to climb out. Most of the scratches had turned into trailing lines where the boy had clearly lost his grip in the soft earth and slid back down. Despair and fear was evident in the way he was clutching one knee to his chest, though David thought it worrying that Max’s other leg was splayed out in front of him, limp.

As David held the boy’s gaze, he thought he saw a flash of hope spark in those aqua eyes, a flicker of relief. But then the boy blinked, rubbed haphazardly at what might have been tear-tracks – if David had been able to see that closely – and sent up a signature glare up at the counselor.

“Damn it, Nikki,” the boy growled. “I told you to get _help_. Not fucking David.”

Nikki popped her head over the side of the hole next to David to squint defensively at Max. “I didn’t get him. Neil did. I was on guard duty.”

“Well then you’re both fired,” Max huffed, waving a dismissive hand at her before folding his arms grumpily over his chest.

“Don’t say that, Max. David can help!” She turned to look at her counselor skeptically. “You _can_ help, can’t you?”

“Yes, yes of course,” David said hurriedly, trying not to feel like the doubt set in Nikki’s expression was a personal attack against him. He looked back to Max. “I’m going to get you out of there, Max, I promise.”

“How?”

Although David wanted to question how Max could fit so much exasperation into one word, that wasn’t the question he needed to worry about right now. He had to get Max out of the hunter’s trap, probably the only one in the vicinity. Leave it to the three most troublesome kids to find the one random pit in all the forest and fall into it. At least no one was hurt.

He didn’t think so, at least. Better to be sure.

“Max, are you hurt?”

“Way to avoid the question, asshole.”

“Don’t avoid mine. Are you hurt?”

Max hesitated against the seriousness in David’s voice and dropped his gaze. David’s eyes unconsciously flickered to the boy’s extended leg that had yet to move.

“I’m fine,” Max replied at last, tersely. “Just can’t get the fuck out of here.”

David bit back his reflexively “Language.” Now wasn’t the time. Not when Max was a good twenty or so feet in the ground. Jeezus, what had this hunter been trying to catch anyway? A freaking bear?

Still, Max’s assurance eased some of the tension from David’s shoulders. “Okay. Okay, Max, I’m going to find a way to get you out.”

He lifted his head to look around at the surrounding trees. There had to be something he could use to get the boy out. If he went crawling in after Max, then they would both be stuck with no way out. Dammit, he really should have grabbed some rope or something.

He could feel Max’s gaze on him and Nikki was actively trying to catch his eyes as if wanting and waiting for him to give her a command; something she could do to help.

“You mean you came all the way here without a plan?” The boy’s voice was scathing.

David swallowed, hand instinctively going up to rub at the back of his neck. He stood and spun in a slow circle before walking the perimeter of the pit, Max’s steely glare tracking him like, well, like a trapped animal.

“I was kind of in a rush,” David said absently, examining a tree branch. Maybe he could snap it off and use it as a makeshift ladder. “Wasn’t really thinking.”

“What else is new,” Max mumbled.

David tried to ignore the jab. He went up to a pine tree and tugged at a line of vine that had constricted around the thick trunk. Maybe he could use it as a makeshift rope. No, it was too thin and would snap the instant it had to support Max’s weight. Maybe it he braided it?

“Didn’t even phone in for _real_ help either, I’m guessing.”

That jab hit true and David ducked his head, shoulders drooping in shame. No, he hadn’t. He should have. He should have called for the professionals, for the ambulance, and the ranger, and the helicopter. Max was just _sitting_ down there, alone, in the mud while David paced around with no plan and no feasible way to get the boy out.

“God, what is the point of having you around if you can’t do anything right?”

David clenched his fists at his own uselessness and blinked against the heat catching on his eyelashes. Maybe if he left and came back with rope, with more help. But he shouldn’t – he couldn’t leave Max alone.

“Hey, moron,” Max called in a bored tone.

David continued to pace, to search, to think, to fret. Nikki watched him curiously, fingers idly pawing at the dirt.

“Answer me, asshole. Surely you can do that right.”

David hugged himself, trembling hands gripping his own arms. What was he going to do? What could he do? Oh god, he royally fucked this up, didn’t he.

“David?” It was still Max’s voice. He knew that. But it suddenly sounded much smaller, much more unsure. “You still there?”

David was kneeling over the pit in a heartbeat. Max was a blue, shadowed blur at the bottom of the pit, half-standing, hand pressed to the wall, and wide eyes looking up and searching. The moment he saw David, his gaze latched onto the older man and he sank back down to the ground with relief.

“Don’t do that,” he nearly pouted.

“I’m sorry,” David sniffled. A tear broke free and Max watched it fall with mute fascination as it splattered noiselessly a few feet away from him. “I’m so sorry, Max. I messed up. When Neil said you fell, I just panicked and ran. I don’t have a plan and I don’t know how to get you out. I’m so sorry.”

“All right, fine, I get it, just stop crying already,” Max scowled.

“Sorry,” David repeated, rubbing his hands over his face. He could feel the grimy layer of dirt smear from his fingers onto his skin, but he didn’t care.

Max sighed and sagged against the wall. “You never think these things through, do you.”

“I kind of lose that ability when my campers are in trouble,” David admitted sullenly.

“Where’s Neil?” Nikki interrupted carelessly.

David glanced back at her. Her head was tilted quizzically at him, waiting.

“I left him back at camp.”

“So he’s with Gwen.”

“Yes.”

“There we go, then. Gwen’s a lot more level-headed with this stuff. ‘Member when she saved us from the platypus attack?” Nikki said helpfully, smile carefree and easy. “She’ll bring rope or something for sure.”

David blinked at the implication of Gwen eventually coming to the rescue. Nikki was right. Gwen was always more practical; the calculated logic to his rollercoaster emotions, taking the time to get the whole story before developing a plan that would best serve to fix the problem. She would surely come and she would surely know what to do.

“There. See?” Max piped up in a less mocking tone than David was expecting. “Gwen’s on her way. So just – just stay here and wait.”

David felt a warmth blossom in his chest that warded off the deprecating depression seeping into his heart.

Stay here. Stay here, he said. Max wanted him to stay.

“Okay,” David said with a small smile.

He settled down near the edge of the pit, making sure to lean forward just enough for Max to see him clearly. Nikki crawled over to sit beside him, throwing her feet to dangle over the side of the pit. David reflexively reached out a hand to loosely grip a strap of her red overalls. Max relaxed visibly where he sat, face upturned and gaze never straying far from them.

They didn’t have to wait long. It was only a minute or two later when Nikki stiffened and then twisted onto her hands and feet, a low growl emanating deeply from her throat. A few seconds after that, David heard the frantic movement in the foliage.

“David!”

David swiveled his head around. “Gwen! Over here!” Nikki sat back on her haunches, satisfied that there was no threat.

“Max!”

Max perked up and strained to see the owner of the voice from his position. “Neil! Jesus Christ. About time.”

Together, the co-counselor and the frazzled boy pushed through the saplings and entered the small clearing.

“Oh thank fuck,” Gwen exhaled, swiping some leaves out of her hair. She adjusted the straps of her red backpack. “There you are.”

Neil trotted over to David and dropped to his knees at the edge of the pit. He still looked pretty winded and the wheezing sounds that accompanied every breath made David wonder if the boy was asthmatic.

David didn’t move from his post at the side of the pit but swiftly threw his arms out in warning to Gwen as she sidled closer.

“Kid was telling the truth,” she murmured in disbelief, craning her head to look down the hole. “There’s a goddamn hole.”

“Gwen, please tell me _you_ can be useful,” Max whined below when he caught sight of her.

She glanced at David, her eyes silently asking what had traversed between them. David shrugged at her helplessly.

“Yeah, you shit, I’ve got something to help,” Gwen answered, indicating the bag on her back.

“Fucking finally.”

“Max, language,” David said meekly, confidence growing now that Gwen had arrived with help and a plan.

Max huffed out a grumbled curse but chose to switch his attention to Neil and Nikki who were both peering over the edge of the pit. They kept talking at the same time, asking if Max was all right, if he needed something tossed down to him to make him feel better, if he wanted another animal thrown down with him to start some gladiator fight (that was Nikki’s suggestion of course). Max listened to the cacophonous chatter and answered when he could get a word in. He didn’t look quite as anxious as before, David was pleased to see.

He turned away from the three to face Gwen as she shrugged off her pack: the camp emergency kit. She knelt down and started digging, pushing the nonessentials aside but bringing out the first aid kit, a flashlight, a blanket, and the rope she had grabbed from the flagpole.

“Is he hurt?” she asked, eyes focused on her search.

David wrung his hands. “He said he was fine.”

Gwen hummed. She glanced up at him, eyes catching on the nicks in his flesh, the tears in his clothes.

“Are you okay?”

“Just a few small scratches,” David replied, gesturing to the cuts on his arms.

“Not what I meant,” Gwen said in a level voice.

David deflated, eyes shifting away. “Let’s just focus on getting him out.”

Had there been time, Gwen might have stared at him until he eventually buckled under the pressure and confessed. As it was, she had to let it slide.

“All right,” she said, standing. The rope was looped around her shoulder and she marched to the edge of the pit between Neil and Nikki.

“Heads up, Max,” she announced. “I’m going to throw down the rope. You grab hold and start climbing. We’ll help pull you up.”

Max, strangely, said nothing, looking down deliberately.

Gwen tossed down one end of the rope and tightly gripped the other end. David stepped behind her, grabbed the rope in both hands, and braced himself to start pulling. Nikki and Neil quickly layered their hands over the rope behind David.

Max, inexplicably, still made no move to grab the rope. He still sat with his back against the wall, legs sprawled in front of him, hands in his pockets.  

“Let’s go, Max,” Gwen almost growled. “Not getting any younger up here.”

Max made no sarcastic comment, and that perhaps was most perturbing of all.

Apprehension making his voice tight, David leaned around Gwen to look down at the boy and asked, “Max, what’s wrong?”

The way he said it depicted he wasn’t asking why Max wasn’t making the effort to take the rope. The way he said it depicted he doubted that Max was indeed as “fine” as the boy had claimed.

“I can’t.”

“What?”

“I can’t!”

“Can’t what, Max?”

“I can’t fucking stand up!”

Four pairs of eyes were looking down at Max, the rope dropped from four pairs of lax hands. Max refused to meet any of the pairs. He was glaring down at his leg, the one that had not moved once since David had shown up.

“My ankle-” Max ground out, clearly frustrated with his own weakness. “My ankle fucking _hurts_. I can’t even stand up, let alone climb out of here.”

David stiffened, cold fear sending a shiver coursing down his spine. _Max is hurt_. He was hurt this whole time and had said nothing. He couldn’t stand, probably couldn’t even move his leg. What if his ankle was broken, or his foot. _Calm down._ Maybe it was just a sprain. _Focus on getting Max out. Worry about the rest later._

Wordlessly, David reeled the rope back in.

“I’ll get him,” he said, voice surprisingly level and oddly calm.

“What?” Gwen asked.

David didn’t answer but instead moved passed her to tie one end of the rope to the closest tree with a trunk that looked like it would be able to support the combined weight of a lanky man and a small boy. He scooped up the flashlight on his way back and stuffed it in his pocket.

Gwen watched him, brow furrowed as she connected his actions with what he was planning to do. She didn’t object, only said, “Be careful.”

David gave her a reassuring nod, then tossed the rest of the rope back into the pit. Max was looking up at him now, confusion on his face the foil to David’s determination. Without preamble, David turned, heels hanging over the edge of the hole. He gave the rope an experimental tug and then leaned back.

“David!” Max shouted at the sight of his counselor falling. He reached for the man even though his body could not move any closer.

To his surprise, however, David didn’t fall but caught himself with the rope and started walking down slowly, backwards. Max clutched at the front of his jacket where his heart was still fluttering in its initial panic.

“Are you insane?!” he blurted at the man coming closer. “A little warning next time. Thought you were going to crush me!”

Though he couldn’t see it, Max could hear the smile in David’s voice. “Don’t worry, Max, I’ll be down with you in a second.”

Max mumbled some insult but there was no heat in it. With each step that David came closer, Max could feel his anxiety, at being stuck in a godforsaken pit in the middle of nowhere, lessen. David was coming. David was going to help him. David was going to get him out of here.

The counselor’s feet hit the soft mud at the bottom of the pit and Max let out a held breath. He technically wasn’t out of the woods yet, but just having the man with him made him feel infinitely better. Even if it was _David._

The moment David’s feet hit the bottom, he was kneeling in front of Max, reaching out for the boy.

“Oh, Max, I’m so glad you’re okay. I mean, I know you’re not okay-” David glanced at his injured leg, “– but you will be once we get out of here. I’ll take care of it, promise.” He thumbed at some of the dirt caked to Max’s cheek. “I’m just – I was just so worried, but’s it’s okay now. You’re going to be okay.”

He smiled with assurance, warm and gentle.

“Wow, you look like shit,” Max deadpanned.

David frowned.

“I mean, really look like shit,” Max persisted. “Fuck, did you get in a fight with the platypus again? You totally lost, by the way.”

David rubbed subconsciously at his arm, embarrassment and dirt alike making his skin itch. He disturbed some fresh scabs and blood smeared against the pale flesh. Max’s eyes caught on the dark red and he flinched. He glared at the wounds, angry at their existence, before looking away with a flash of guilt.

“Might have got caught on a few trees,” David clarified sheepishly. “Told you, I was in a rush. Wasn’t really worried about what was happening to me. I was more worried about you.”

Max lost his scowl for a split second; a strange and somewhat foreign look flashed across his face. Before David could decipher what emotion was there, Max was already looking away with an irritated huff. “Whatever. Just get me the fuck out of here already.”

“Let me check your ankle first,” David said tentatively.

“Just don’t touch it,” Max warned.

David pulled out the flashlight and shone it down on the boy’s prone foot. He could tell there was swelling already. As gingerly as possible, he pinched the hem of Max’s jeans and slid it up over the boy’s ankle. Max hissed and his leg bucked but David was quick to place a steady hand down on Max’s knee to prevent the boy from agitating the injury further.

“I said don’t fucking touch it,” Max snarled, hand snapping out to grip David’s wrist.

“Sorry,” David said sincerely, moving the light to get the best angle.

Max’s ankle was swollen and red. The promise of some impressive bruising swirled darkly against the already discolored skin. He didn’t dare touch it for fear of causing more pain to Max but it was severely sprained at the least. An x-ray would provide more information, but for now, David would have to work with what he had.

“Gwen,” he called, looking up, “toss down two sticks, please. I need to make a splint.”

While he waited, David started untying Max’s shoe and wriggled off the injured foot.

“The hell you doing that for?” Max asked, voice rough and strained with the exertion of trying to keep the pain out of his voice. David was being careful but every minute movement sent splinters of agony burrowing into his ankle.

“I need to alleviate the pressure,” David answered with a leveled voice. Now that he was with Max and knew what to do, a calm had settled over him, making his movements careful and exact.

He flicked out his army knife from his pocket – always carried for these kind of just-in-case scenarios.

“What’s that for?” The boy’s voice was suddenly a lot more apprehension and the leg under David’s hand flinched. He pressed down on the knee joint, wanting to steady but aiming to reassure.

“Same thing.”

With a quick cut, David sliced through the hem of Max’s jeans and made a neat slit that ended right at Max’s calf. The swollen ankle pushed against its newfound freedom and even Max let out a small gasp of relief.

David pocketed his knife and tapped his fingers against Max’s knees in lieu of a jostling pat. “Sorry about your jeans but that should feel better.”

Max glared down at the exposed flesh of his ankle. Yeah it felt better but it was fuck ugly to look at. To distract himself away from the red swollen lump – _his fucking ankle_ , he had to remind himself – Max grabbed his shoe and shoved it into his hoodie pocket.

Above, there was the faint sound of rustling and then two snaps. Gwen’s head popped back over the edge followed by her hand dropping two clean sticks. They clattered beside David and he reached over to retrieve both.

The sticks were of a good thickness and size, enough to provide a decent brace for Max’s ankle, at least until they could get him to the hospital to be treated properly. These were placed on either side of Max’s ankle, bracketing the sore joint. David deftly untied his bandana and used this to securely wrap around Max’s ankle and hold the sticks in place.

Max watched him silently, eyes following David’s fingers as they delicately handled his ankle. He considered arguing against the use of David’s beloved bandana (and frankly the man just looked odd without it) but thought better of it. David was so focused on his task, he probably wouldn’t have heard Max anyway.

“There,” David announced proudly when he had finished. “That should help.”

It did. The extra support and the softness of the worn bandana made Max feel much better. The pain was still there and fatigue was quickly catching up with him now that the adrenaline had long since died down. But it did help.

“Guess you’re not so useless after all,” Max said in lieu of thanks.

David seemed to understand nonetheless and smiled.

“All right. Ready to get out of here?”

“I was ready a fucking hour ago.”

“Then let’s go.”

David slipped out of his brown vest and turned to give Max his back. “Hop on.”

Max wasn’t quite sure how this was going to get him and David out, but the man hadn’t let him down yet (okay, maybe in the beginning but the guy never operated well under pressure). He grabbed a handful of David’s shirt and pulled himself up, falling against the firm back and wrapping his arms around David’s neck.

David stood in one fluid movement and used one hand to steady Max as the other used his vest to tie the boy securely to him.

“Is this a good idea?” Max questioned as David tugged on the knot.

“This way you don’t have to use your legs to hang on,” David explained. “Just your arms.”

Max tested the theory, letting his good leg relax – the injured one hung limp. The vest caught his weight and Max didn’t even slip.

“Not bad, camp man,” Max said, trying to tamper down the admiration in his voice.

“And you said that knotting activity was pointless.”

Max chose not to dignify that with a response. David merely chuckled and took up the rope in his hands again.

“Okay, hang on.”

Max squeezed.

“Too tight,” David choked out.

Max loosened his grip, amusement in his grin.

“Thank you.”

David lifted his foot, kicked a dent into the dirt wall to hold him and then stepped up, reaching his hand up to grip the rope, raising his other foot to kick another foothold in the dirt. Slowly but surely, they started moving up.

Max held on tightly, but careful not to cut off David’s air supply. Otherwise, they’d both be falling back into the pit. He kept his gaze resolutely locked on the dirt wall over David’s shoulder, not wanting to risk catching a glimpse of the dirt bottom below them. He didn’t want to know how high off the ground they were, how far they would fall if David’s hand slipped or his feet slid out from under him.

But David was precise and careful, only moving when he had a sure grip on the rope and a stable foothold. The climb was tedious and painstakingly slow. David proceeded with another step up only when he was sure the dirt would hold. He lifted himself with careful precision to prevent Max from being jostled.

Max could feel the heat radiating of the man as David toiled upwards. He could see the sweat beaded at the man’s temple, could feel the labored breaths as David bore his and Max’s weight with only his hands and feet against the full force of gravity’s pull. Max curled his fingers into David’s shirt, silently cheering the older man on.

Gwen had her hand extended as far as it could go, fingers straining to make contact. Nikki and Neil paced and hopped about, encouraging and cheering.

At last, Gwen’s hand touched Max’s hair and her fingers carded through the curls she could reach. He blinked and snapped his head up to look at her. She was suddenly so close and he could see the trees and the sky over the edge of the pit and there was Neil and Nikki trying to reach for him too. A weight lifted from Max’s shoulders. They had made it.

Gwen shifted her hand from Max to David, fingers ghosting over his red poof. He looked up at her, face red with exertion, mouth open with controlled breathing, sweat slipping down his jaw. But he smiled at her and lifted his hand, their palms sliding together, fingers locked tight around each other. With a grunt, Gwen heaved and David scrambled to put his other hand on the edge and pull himself up and over, Max, clinging to his neck.

When David’s waist cleared the pit, Nikki and Neil rushed over to help him get his legs free. Then they all sat collapsed on the forest floor together. Max sagged against David with relief. Gwen had one hand on Max’s shoulder, the other on David’s knee. Nikki and Neil each took a fistful of Max’s hoodie as the excitedly expressed their joy at having Max back safe. David wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand and gave Gwen a smile as he placed his hand over the one Max had buried in his green shirt.

“Good work, team."


End file.
